The Walking Dead Season Four Review

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It's fascinating to watch a story evolve sometimes, specifically how quickly fundamental changes to what the characters and the principle of the story can arrive.  When it comes to television, it is perhaps not as common.  T.V. usually sticks with what works, bringing some surprises into the fold here and there but for the most part we feel safe and secure in knowing that there are core elements that cannot and will not be changed.  

That is most certainly not the case with The Walking Dead.  This is a show that has managed to reinvent itself year after year, but when it comes to Season Four, it has ventured into new territory that I've yet to see in any post apocalyptic setting in either film or television.  

Truly, this was a season of deception.  The first few episodes of the show seemed to be about putting life back together, coupled with the new threat of illness within the prison and well, we all stuck with it, wondering where this would lead us.  It didn't quite feel like The Walking Dead in fact the whole thing seemed out of place and it turns out it was all part of the plan, to completely shock the hell out of us.  

Hot on the heels of the flu, came the return of the Governor and it was all downhill from there.  We watched Hershel die in horrible fashion.  We saw the prison and all of its safety fall and most importantly, we saw the worst parts of ourselves out there on the road as the group was scattered to the wind.  We learned that the phrase "look at the flowers" should invoke terror in one of the most shocking moments in television history and we also learned that those who arrive, likely do not survive. 

This was, in a nutshell an incredible season for The Walking Dead because of the sheer manipulation that new showrunner Scott Gimple has bestowed upon us.  He loaded the season up with little clues of things to come, but as I made mention of before, he also reinvented the post zombiepocalyptic tale, simply by staying true to the comic.  The comic has always portrayed an unforgiving world filled with the living dead and ugly people and that has now been brought to life.  

Traditionally these tales require a certain sense of safety, a chance for the audience and the characters to catch their breath. This year of The Walking Dead has left no place safe.  Few can be trusted.  It's now truly a horrific and terrifying apocalypse and we're all just along for the ride.  I can't wait to see where Season Five takes us, see you all in the fall.  

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